NPC Lauds Passage of OPEN Government Act

National President Press Club President Jerry Zremski today joined leaders of other journalistic organizations in lauding congressional approval of bipartisan reform of the Freedom of Information Act.

"We are pleased to join our colleagues in other news outlets and organizations in expressing our happiness over passage of the OPEN Government Act by the Senate and House," Zremski said. "We hope that the legislation quickly becomes the law of the land."

Zremski said the bill marks a great step forward in ensuring people's right to know what their government is doing, particularly in this election season.

"Our participatory democracy thrives on an informed electorate," Zremski said. "As journalists, it's incumbent on us to do everything we can to shine a light on what the federal government is doing. One of the tools for this is the Freedom of Information Act, which will be much more usable under this legislation."

This FOIA reform legislation makes great strides in ensuring the access journalists need in their role as watchdogs for the public interest, as well as in protecting the public's right to obtain that information independently, Zremski added.

The House of Representatives passed the legislation Tuesday, after Senate passage last Friday.